You are here

National Preparedness Month

October 17, 2012

Share

September was National Preparedness Month, a time to make sure you and your family has a plan for responding to disasters and emergencies. In order to help spread the word about that, the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood arranged for a federal emergency management specialist to speak to fatherhood groups around the state.

Marc Fisher, an emergency management specialist with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told the fathers in attendance at the Columbus Urban League on Sept. 11, “Being prepared in a time of disaster is one of the best gifts you can give your children, one of the best things you can teach them.”

Fisher also visited Action for Children in Columbus, Urban Light Ministries in Springfield, Talbert House in Cincinnati, Lake Erie Community Corrections Center in Sandusky, Harcatus Community Action Organization in Uhrichsville, and WSOS Community Action in Fremont and Sandusky.

“We thought it was important to provide fathers with information on how to make safety a priority and protect their children when emergencies arise,” said Kimberly Dent, interim director of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood.

Fisher advised fathers to know their children’s medical conditions, arrange for a safe meeting place away from danger, and make sure they can function without electricity and cell phone service.

“Make sure you can travel without GPS,” he told the Columbus Urban League audience. “Make sure you can change a tire if you can’t make a call.” “Everything that’s good in you, you put in your daughters, you put in your sons,” Fisher said. “Preparedness is the same thing. It’s something you can pass on. It can save someone’s life, and it doesn’t cost anything.”

Fisher distributed starter safety kits that contained flashlights, duct tape, safety goggles and first aid kits, as well as pamphlets with details about emergency preparedness. For more information about emergency preparedness, visit http://www.ready.gov or http://www.fema.gov.

Was this page helpful?

Step One

Yes

No

I found this page helpful because the content on the page: (check all that apply)